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Here you sit on call once again, waiting to find out whether or not you have to go to work. You've already bailed on your friends, who left three hours ago for a rafting trip down the Salt River. You grumble unflattering comments about your manager under your breath. The phone rings and you learn that you wasted your whole day waiting to hear from work. Now your boss expects you to show up at dawn tomorrow to cover for a sick coworker. You're grateful for the hours but peeved as well.

Things Happen, But

You're enough of an adult to understand that things happen, but you're tired of those things happening to you. It's time to speak up and tell your boss that you can't keep giving away your time.

And you don't have to, even though your boss has been happy to make you think so. Plenty of companies use responsible staffing. Responsible companies pay for at least a portion of your on-call time. VIPKid in Beijing, China gives their online English teachers half their hourly rate, between $3.50 to $5.50 per hour for no-show trial students. Teachers receive their full payment of $14 to $22 per hour when major-class students fail to show.

Costco has also proven that it pays to consider the challenges employees face when they have scheduling conflicts. Instead of waiting for employees to complain, Costco takes a proactive approach to scheduling. Managers schedule people together from the same part of town. They offer 10-hour days in a four-day work week, and they do not keep employees on-call. You can use this information when you bargain with your boss to get your hours changed.

Face the Music

Instead of grumbling, nursing an ulcer, or letting customers see that you do not enjoy your job, set an appointment with your boss to discuss your hours. Restate your availability. Let your boss know that tying up your time without pay keeps you from being productive and hurts morale. Bosses tend to be more understanding when you point out how allowing you to change your schedule will benefit the team.

Show your boss the facts about companies that use flexible scheduling and discuss what can change. Be flexible in return. Give your boss two to three options and stick to your promises once you agree on a schedule. Keep your discussion respectful and positive. Do not give any ultimatums.

Examples:

On-call Employee, notifying in person:

Mr, Anderson, I know we agreed that this job would include five on-call days every month. I did not realize that meant that I would have to wait the entire day without pay to learn whether or not I'd be called to work. Today marks the seventh straight time that I received a call five minutes before 8 PM to let me know that I would not be working. The company does not pay me for my on-call hours. Keeping me hanging by the phone all day means I cannot do other things and reduces my earning capacity.

Other companies compensate for on-call time just like they do regular hours. One good example is VIPKid. When their tutors have a no-show student, VIPKid still pays the teachers for their time. Paying for the lost time helps VIPKid retain their best teachers.

If you want me to wait half the day to find out if I will be needed, please pay me at least half my hourly rate for that time. If you want me available the entire shift, the fair thing would be to pay me full wages for those hours. Thank you for listening.

On-call Employee, notifying via email:

Dear Mr. Anderson: When we agreed that the job requires some on-call hours, I thought I would be given timely notice whether or not I would have to work. All seven of my past on-call days I received that notice five minutes before the end of my shift. That means all of those hours were unpaid, even though I was not free. Costco and Northrup-Grumman do not use on-call status. Instead of working five eight-hour days per week, they work four 10-hour shifts. Let me know what you would like to do. Thank you.

Review Your Schedule

Once you come to a workable agreement about your schedule, make an appointment to review it at the end of thirty days. Agree to discuss any adjustments as needed and keep a record of any problems that arise between scheduled reviews. Strategize changes and provide two-to-three solutions just like you did at the initial appointment.

Example:

Thank you for meeting with me today, Mr. Anderson. I appreciate receiving notice by 10 a.m. every day that I am free for the rest of the day. If you agree, I am willing to continue with this policy.

When All Else Fails

No matter what outcome you achieve when you discuss your schedule with your boss, do not destroy your good performance record by failing to show up for work. If your attempts to make reasonable accommodations between your boss's demands and the realities of your life fail, be prepared to give proper notice and seek another job.

Example:

In person, by phone or by mail:

I regret that I will no longer be able to be on-call. Barnes and Noble offered to pay me $17 per hour to work Saturdays and Sundays. I appreciate your need for coverage on those days, but I cannot keep giving away my time. Let me know if you would be willing to discuss alternatives.

Tip

As with all writing, tone is important. Do not employ heavy-handed tactics with your employer, such as making subtle threats or referring to other employees who have successfully altered their work schedules. Be polite and take the high road with your approach.

About the Author

Jane Smith parlayed her B. S. Ed. degree into working on everything from job and housing services to selling water treatment systems. Wading into an underperforming position as a program manager, Smith recruited staff and inspected and approved enough provider homes to reduce wait times from two years to two months and increase service utilization by 30 percent per quarter. She helped her team sell over $350,000 in water treatment systems and security equipment in 2017, and currently partners with her daughter as an independent Avon Representative at Avon Beauty by Laura.

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Smith, Jane. "How to Notify an Employer of a Change in Availabilty." Work - Chron.com, http://work.chron.com/notify-employer-change-availabilty-3322.html. 28 March 2018.

Smith, Jane. (2018, March 28). How to Notify an Employer of a Change in Availabilty. Work - Chron.com. Retrieved from http://work.chron.com/notify-employer-change-availabilty-3322.html

Smith, Jane. "How to Notify an Employer of a Change in Availabilty" last modified March 28, 2018. http://work.chron.com/notify-employer-change-availabilty-3322.html

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